Escapees September-October 2024

from the bookshelf

Books for RVers By MARCELLA GAUTHIER #12371

The two books we’ll discuss in this issue are very di ff erent. The fi rst is about how to live in harmony with sometimes prob lematic dogs and how we can improve our relationship with them. The second book helps discover how to improve our relationship with ourselves and others. The author of the sec ond book took a cross-country bike trip where she met many members of our divisive society and had positive experiences as well as some frightening ones with some members both human and animal. Tender Paws: How Science-Based Parenting Can Transform Our Relationship with Dogs WENDY LYONS SUNSHINE • HCI BOOKS 2024 ISBN: 9780757324956 • PAPERBACK: $14.93• KINDLE: $12.99 A lot of us call them our “fur babies” and our dogs are often a valued part of our family. But sometimes when we rescue puppies who arrive with a lot of physical, mental or emotional issues from their previous lives, we have our work cut out for us trying to integrate these dogs with beloved family members. This is what Wendy discovered when she rescued an out-of-control pup. What to do? Calling on her expertise as a world-renowned child-development expert gave her insight into strategies and coping methods for troubled children. Could what she had learned when dealing with these children work on dogs? She discovered that, yes, it could. This book is fi lled with research on both human and canine ways of dealing with life situations. It enables you to see the world through your dog’s eyes and the dog will come to understand how you see the world and your relationship will become magical, devoid of anger

and frustration. This is an important book for everyone, explaining how to interact with animals in a way that is helpful to both the “pooch parents” and the “fur babies.” It will also give you a new perspective on how much we are like our fellow creatures. Heidi Across America HEIDI BEIERLE • HCI BOOKS 2024 ISBN: 9780757324970 • PAPERBACK: $16.27• KINDLE: $12.99 This book is a cornucopia of observations made by Heidi Beierle as she makes a solo bike journey. Not only is it a comprehensive introduction to the world of cross-country biking culture, but also to Heidi’s adventures as she travels eastward across the nation. She is a woman alone, traveling through many small towns where she has little or no experience. It is an extremely hot trip as she slowly rides across the country. Racing through the countryside in an air-conditioned car on the interstate system gives a slim chance to see how the “other half” lives. As she travels, she discov ers that there are dangers but there are also angels that she meets along the way. Not only is she dealing with the things that she sees but she is dealing with some of her personal

issues. She is working on a degree in rural economic development, so she has an educated eye for what she experiences. In this currently divisive society, both political and cultural differences are frequent, especially between the cities and the less traveled parts of the country. She is a silent observer of these different views, and she is there to listen and not to judge. This journey is both a physical and psychological encounter with self and others. Taking the blue highways and back roads is very revealing to travelers, both those who move slowly on bikes or in RVs. Heidi is an experienced cyclist as well as an accomplished writer and this book provides many different and interesting things to ponder regarding one’s personal views and those of others. It is an inter esting and educational read.

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ESCAPEES Magazine September/October 2024